Critical Hits
A character or creature can absorb damage up to its W total without incurring any penalties - the W''' characteristic represents a 'buffer level' and damage up to this level is rarely serious. Damage which reduces '''W to zero or below is a far more serious matter. Blows which do this are calledd critical hits and it is these hits which will usually determine the final outcome of a combat. When a character takes a critical hit, the GM rolls a D100 and consults the critical chart. As well as the result of the D100 roll, the GM also needs to know the critical hit level. This is equal to the victim's negative W''' score after the damage from the blow has been applied. For example, if a character has been reduced to 2 '''W in a fight and then suffers a further 5 points of damage, this hit is a level 3 critical. The first two points of damage reduce his W''' to zero, leaving three points of critical damage. Once a character's '''W score has been reduced to zero, it never gets any lower - instead, all damage is critical. So, having survived the level 3 critical in the last round, the character's W''' are at zero. He takes another hit, which causes 2 points of damage. His '''W score remains at zero and he suffers a level 2 critical hit. Detailed Criticals and Sudden Death The Critcal Hit Chart can be read in two ways. The numbers refer to detailed critical hit results, which make up most of these rules. Find the right section for the type of damage and the hit location affected and read the description against the number. Detailed critical hits are dramatic and colourful, but there will be times when a more straightforward result is needed, in which case the different markings on the chart are used to give a sudden death result. Sudden death criticals are also used when checking for the result of blood loss caused by a previous detailed critical result. Blood Loss Some detailed critical results cause a character to lose blood at a certain rate per round until medical attention is received. W''' lost from bleeding are always dealt with using the sudden death critical system. If a character takes a critical hit and loses blood in the same round, the GM may choose whether to deal with the results together under the sudden death critical system or seperately, with a detailed result for the new critical and a sudden death result for the bleeding. For example, a character's level 2 critical mentioned in an earlier paragraph results in a bleeding wound, from which he will lose 1 '''W per round until medical attention is received. As if that weren't bad enough, in the next round, he is hit for 4 points of damage. If the GM decides to deal with both together, he faces a level 5 sudden death critical. Otherwise, the blow that landed that round is treated as a level 4 detailed critical and, if he survives that, he also has to face a level 1 sudden death critical. Sudden death criticals for bleeding are always dealt with last in the round, since they represent the cumulative effect of blood loss that has taken place over the whole of the round. Sudden Death Critical Results A fleeing victim must move directly away from combat or from any other source of danger, as quickly as possible. At the GM's option, sentient victims may be permitted a Cl test (modified by the severity of the character's wounds and any other relevant circumstances); those who make the test may choose whether to stage a fighting retreat (or at least back away) or whether to simply turn tail and run, allowing their opponent a free blow at their retreating back. Those who did fail the test will always turn and run (limp, hop, stagger, crawl) directly away. Critical Hit Chart Critical Effects Sharp Hand Weapons Blunt Hand Weapons Teeth and Claws Arrows and Bolts Firearms Falling and Crushing Criticals This table is used to ddeal with criticals arising from long drops, falling blocks, and similar causes. Because these forces tend to affect an entire character rather than a single hit location, there is only one table; GMs who need a critical for a single location, such as a leg that is too slow in clearing a secret doorway as a section of wall slides back into place, can improvise results by referring both to this table and to the blunt hand weapon criticals table for the hit location (or locations) involved. Fire and Energy Criticals This table is used to deal with criticals arising from fire, lightning, explosions, and destructive, showy spells such as Fire Ball. Because these forces tend to affect an entire character rather than a single hit location, there is only one table; GMs who need a critical for a single location, such as an arm poking through a window into a room where a powder keg is about to explode, can improvise results by referring both to this table and to the blunt weapons criticals table for the hit location (or locations) involved. Category:Rules Category:Combat